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Last updated on Friday, January 4, 2013
(INDIANAPOLIS) - Four Hoosiers were arrested as part of an international child pornography and exploitation sting that netted 245 arrests in about a month’s time.
Brooke Martin of WISH TV8 reports that Operation Sunflower was an initiative by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations special agents.
James McKee, 51, Crawfordsville, was arrested on federal charges of possessing and distributing child porn. Randall Allen, 46, Indianapolis, was arrested on federal charges of receiving and possessing child porn. Stephen Hill, 54, Indianapolis, was arrested on state charges of child exploitation. Also, Gregory Evans, 44, Evansville, was arrested on federal charges of possessing child porn.
Authorities said the investigation has given Homeland Security in Indianapolis 40 additional leads.
In all, 123 victims were identified. Three of the victims were local all under the age of 12.
According to Sandy Runkle, who has been working to prevent abuse, like child pornography, for 16 years, 1 in 4 girls are sexually abused by their 18th birthday. For boys, it's 1 in 6. Runkle says over 90 percent of those kids know their abuser.
To read more on this story visit http://www.wishtv.com/dpp/news/crime/hoosiers-among-245-international-child-porn-ring-arrests
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